Star News

Former NBA player Corie Blount has been sentenced on marijuana charges. According to the Associated Press, Blount could go to prison for up to 10 years.
When Corie Blount was busted on October 4, sheriffs deputies discovered that 11 pounds of pot had been sent to Blount at a relative’s house; after searching Blount’s home, they discovered an additional 18 pounds of marijuana.

Initially, prosecutors charged Blount with two counts of trafficking; the charges were dropped, however, in exchange for a plea bargain. Thus, the trafficking charges were dropped when Blount pleaded guilty to two felony counts.

Corie Blount is one of many basketball players who have been busted for possession of drugs. The list includes Kareem Abdul-Jabarr, Marcus Camby, Shawn Kemp, and Rasheed Wallace.

It’s always an enormous disappointment when a professional athlete is arrested on drug charges. The aforementioned players are all basketball players; the list grows even longer when you include baseball and football players. It’s disappointing when pro athletes abuse drugs because so many kids look up to them. Thus, pro athletes have a responsibility to be excellent role models, and not get involved in drug and alcohol abuse.

The situation with Corie Blount is particularly egregious because of the huge quantity of pot discovered at his home; this indicates that he was dealing dope, and that is inexcusable. It’s one thing to put your own health and life in danger, but when you enable others to do the same thing by supplying them with drugs, it is beyond reprehensible.

Many people argue that marijuana is not a dangerous drug; they claim that it is nowhere near as dangerous and addicting then, say, heroin. But the problem is that there is a good possibility that marijuana is a gateway drug; that people who use it on a regular basis are in danger of graduating to the harder stuff.

In addition, studies show that marijuana poses certain health risks. Some people who smoke marijuana , for example, experience severe panic attacks. They become stricken with an acute sense of paranoia and may actually feel like they are going crazy. It can be a frightening experience. Marijuana also contains more tar than tobacco, and is thus harmful to the lungs.

Indeed, it is always a sad day when a pro athlete is charged with drug possession.